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REPORT 


OF THE 


CHIEF ENGINEER 


O N 


BRIDGING THE MISSOURI RIVER. 


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JG fo |) o r Jy£y ’ 

1). VAX NT0STRAND, No. 192 BROADWAY. 



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TO ACCOMPANY REPORT 


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Dated January 15 , 1807_ 

TABLE DISTANCES 


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Childs Mill line . 

Child's Mill 8- Papillon Valley . 

High crossing south of railroad in Omaha 
High crossing, Stone Quarry (not practicable) .. 
Low Bridge at telegraph crossing 8 Ainsworth line 
Low Bridge NWB.ll grounds telegraph crossing. 

present track,with (iti feet maximum grade, 
l.nw Bridge NW 11 II grounds, Ainsworth line, 
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REPORT 

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CHIEF ENGINEER 

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O N 


BRIDGING THE MISSOURI RIVER. 


U c fe H o r Iv: 

D. VAN NOSTRAND, No. 192 BROADWAY. 


186 7. 


















V 


UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD. 


B E P 0 E T 


Of Genl. G. M. Dodge, Chief Engineer, in relation to Bridging 

the Missouri River. 


/ 

New Yoke, December 3, 186217 


T. C. Durant, Esq., 

Vice-President and General Manager , 

Union Pacific Railroad :— 


Sir : I have the honor to submit for the information of 
the Company, such data as the surveys of the Missouri river, 
so far as made, have furnished, having in view the proper 
point to bridge the river ; and the approaches to the bridge 
from the east and the west. 

The river has been systematically sounded, to determine 
generally the depth of water, sand, and the material that 
piers would rest on. 

Rock has been discovered at several points, but as yet not 
entirely across the river ; the pipe sunk on east side having 
gone through the sand, and reached a hard substance that 
we could not force through with the usual means. 

Taking into consideration the approaches, east and west, 
on the river, I hold that we are confined, in bridging the 
stream, to a distance of some eight miles, included between 
the Buschey Ferry, and Child’s Mill. The high-water table 
on the east side, approaches very near the bank of the river 
for nearly four miles of the distance, while it is not over one 
and one half miles off, on any portion of this front. In 
this distance, four crossings have been pretty thoroughly 
examined, viz. : 





4 


I. The point at Telegraph Poles. 

II. The crossing near where the M. & M. R. R. line strikes 
the river. 

III. The crossing about two miles below, at the ravine 
above the Stone Quarry. 

IV. The crossing at Child's Mill. 

The first, at Telegraph Poles, I consider the best for a low 
bridge with draw ; and the crossing at Child's Mill the best 
for a high bridge. 

The approaches to all the crossings are equally feasible on 
the east side ; on the west side, the first would end on our 
depot grounds at Omaha. 

The second is on the table just south of the city, and 
would go into Papillon Valley on our present line. 

The third could be brought up the river to the depot, or go 
out over the south part of the city; or, what would be probably 
better, follow up the ravine opposite the crossing, and cross 
the divide at a new point south of present crossing, entering 
Mud Creek Valley about one mile below the present summit. 
This line has not been fully surveyed, but it is thought we 
may get through on a thirty feet grade. 

The fourth, or Child's Mill crossing, follows up a ravine 
opposite the crossing, cutting through the divide, and in one 
mile from the river strikes the Mud Creek line, some five miles 
from Omaha, shortening the line about seven and a half 
miles over Crossing Number 1, and avoiding the three miles 
of sixty-six feet grade at Omaha ; as Mud Creek is reached on 
this line with a thirty-feet .grade. The summit cut is one 
hundred and five feet deep at its highest point, and with a 
base of twenty feet, and slope of one-quarter to one, has 
about one hundred and seventy-five thousand cubic yards of 
earth to waste. 

A bridge at Child's Mill has the advantage, on the west side, 


5 


of abutting against the high bluff; and, second, a narrow 
river, and bridge, well protected from the wind by bluffs, on 
west side, and timber on east. A high bridge, at this point, 
would have one and one-half miles of trestling or embank¬ 
ment on the east side to reach grade. It would be eighty 
feet high above foundations, and would give fifty feet in clear 
from extreme high water to bottom of lower chord ; and 
would not cost any more than a low bridge at Telegraph 
Poles. 

The grading on east side would cost about one hundred 
thousand dollars, which would be in addition to cost of 
bridge. 

A low bridge at or near Telegraph Poles, is estimated at 
two thousand one hundred feet long, having one half mile of 
trestling on each side. The river, at this point, has not ma¬ 
terially changed in several years, while above and below it 
has changed from three hundred feet to three-quarters of a 
mile. 

The extra cost of turn-table draw and centre pier, brings 
the bridge, in cost, up to that of high bridge at Child’s Mill; 
and even if the bridge is located here, I feel disposed to urge 
upon the Company the building of a high bridge. My rea¬ 
sons are briefly: 

First .—It does away with all expenditure in confining the 
channel, which I consider an experiment. No theory that I 
know of will meet such a question. It is a matter to be de¬ 
cided by our observation of the river—our experience on it— 
and, finally, by actual experiment. We might invent a plan 
that would confine the channel at first trial and with little 
cost; or we might sink a large amount of money and even 
then not succeed. 

Second .—It relieves the Company from the hostility of the 
boating interest ; gives no excuse for the long list of law¬ 
suits that all draw-bridges have had to meet ; obviates 
unfriendly legislation, and gives a boatable channel under 


6 


the bridge at all seasons of the year, no matter what freaks 
the yearly freshets may play with the river. 

Third .—It is almost impossible to place obstacles in cur¬ 
rent, of channel that will turn it. The cause of change of 
channel, which seldom remains at one point during one month 
of the year, is the fact that it cuts the hank on one side or 
the other, or both, until its course is naturally changed, from 
the distance and direction it eats into the hank—not from the 
obstructions it meets ; and the moment the channel begins 
to change, it deposits its sediment in the old channel, cuts it 
entirely off, and gradually fills it up. 

Fourth .—A high bridge being built, all expense has been 
incurred, the trouble of the draw avoided, and all accidents 
obviated, and it wiil give better satisfaction to all interests. 
And I believe that if the Company build anything but a high 
bridge, they will always regret it, and it will always be a 
source of annoyance, legislation, and cost. 

Fifth .—The cost of a high bridge over a low one, when 
you take into consideration the uncertainty of the cost of con¬ 
fining the channels to the draw, is not enough, in my opinion, 
to overcome any one of the objections to a low bridge. 

These, and many other reasons, that it is not necessary for 
me to mention here, induce me to be decidedly in favor of 
building a high bridge, no matter what point of crossing the 
river you may select. At Telegraph Poles it will cost most, 
but not over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars more 
than any other point mentioned. You can rise to it on a 
fifty-feet grade, running up each side on a trestle one mile long. 

A high bridge is only thirty-five feet higher than a low 
bridge, as ice and drifts make it necessary that low bridges 
should have at least fifteen feet in the clear between extreme 
high water and bottom of lower chord. 

The foundation at Telegraph Poles, at one point is rock 


1 


over two-thirds of the distance across, and at another point 
about one-third ; at all other points, pile foundations would 
have to be used. At Child’s Mill, if foundations are put in 
during low water, only two piers, and perhaps but one pier 
would come in the water. 

I submit herewith an Approximate Estimate of cost of 
bridges, made from the best data at hand, being governed in 
prices by what our limited data indicate to us as a fair cash 
value. The stone for masonry, if obtained from the Platte 
River Quarries, would have to be hauled seven to nine miles 
to reach the railroad, and ten to fourteen miles on railroad. 
Quarries are being developed on North Western Railroad, 
right on the line of the road, which may be made available. 
The quarries on the Platte we know to be good and available. 
Near Pacific City, on Council Bluffs and St. Joseph Rail¬ 
road, some fine quarries are being opened. I have not seen 
them, but am told that they are superior to any other in 
feasibility of working, quality of stone, and thickness of 
course ; if this be so, they are the nearest, and can be made 
available with less expense than any other, as the Council 
Bluffs and St. Joseph Railroad runs right alongside of them, 
and would be within a short distance of any of the bridging 
points. 

The cost of foundations is a matter of conjecture, as no 
such work has as yet been done in the Missouri river. I have 
estimated at usual cost of such work ; and I desire it distinct¬ 
ly understood, in submitting this estimate that I have not 
made a close calculation, aiming merely to give the Com¬ 
pany something of an idea of the quantities, and about the 
cost of the different kinds of work. 


8 


High Bridge , at Child's Mill. 

4.250 C. Y. Masonry to Piers, at $20.00. $85,000 00 

1.250 “ “ “ Abutments, at $20.00. 25,000 00 

12,780 lin. ft. Piles in foundation, $1.50. 19,305 00 

121,000 lin. ft. B. M. Timber in foundation, at 50 cts.. 6,0o0 00 

2,000 lin. ft. of Truss, at $65.00. 130,000 00 

1,570,814 ft. B. M. Timber in Trestle, at $50.00. 78,540 00 

Engineering, 10 per cent. 34,38 9 00 

$378,284 00 

Cost of 1 mile road west side. 150,000 00 

$528,284 00 

Low Bridge at Telegraph Poles. 

1,650 C. Y. Masonry in Piers, at $20.00. $33,000 00 

420 “ “ “ Abutments at $20.00. 8,400 00 

874 u “ “ Centre Piers, at $20.00. 17,480 00 

12,000 lin. ft. Piles in foundation, at $1.50.^. . . . 18,000 00 

108,000 ft. B M. Timber in Crib, at 50 cents. 5,400 00 

1,362,500 “ “ ‘8 “ Trestle, at 50 cents. 68,120 00 

6,666 C. Y. Stone in Crib, at 5 cents. 33,300 00 

708,950 ft. B. M, Timber in Trestle, at 50 cents. 21,268 00 

1,800 lin. ft. Truss, at $65.00. 127,000 00 

300 “ “ “ 31,500 00 

Turn-Table. 6,500 00 

Engineering, 10 per cent..,. 33,997 00 


$406,975 00 

In a purely engineering point of view, without regard to 
the advantage of crossing directly at Omaha, or the use of our 
own depot grounds, I am decidedly of the opinion that the best 
point for bridging the river with a high bridge, is at Child's 
Mill. It is shortest, gives best grades, and leaves out entirely 
the sixty-six feet grade at Omaha. 

\ 
























9 


A bridge liere can be put up in low water, in shortest 
time, with least cost, and gives us a high bluff to abut 
against on west side, with plenty of distance to rise to grade 
on east side, and shortens through distance seven and one- 
tenth miles. 

Second .—If desirable to avail ourselves of the crossing at 
Omaha, for the use of our shops and grounds, the best point of 
crossing for a high bridge is at or near the present crossing of 
the M. & M. R. R. line. A high bridge here will cost more 
than at Child’s Mill, on account of the necessity of increased 
length on west side to reach table south of city, while it has 
the advantage at east side of reaching high water table, six 
hundred feet from bank of river. 

Third .—^If low bridge is decided upon, the point at or near 
Telegraph Poles is best, and this point has the advantage of 
being one-half, and perhaps three-quarters, on rock bottom. It 
is also the best point, in my opinion, for confining the channel, 
from the fact that the river has not materially changed at this 
point for at least eleven years, and it is easier to hold a chan¬ 
nel in its natural course, than to force it out, as would have 
to be done at some other points, to conform to the draw. 

The distance on east side of river at this point, to high- 
water table, is about two thousand feet ; on west side, high- 
water table will not be reached until grade strikes the depot 
grounds. , 

The distance over different lines is as follows—between a 
common point at Council Bluffs—say, east line of Section 3 
—and the common intersection in Mud Creek Valley : 


Child’s Mill Line.. 6.14 m. 

M. & M. R. R. crossing. 9.84 m. 

Telegraph Poles crossing. 13.69 m. 

From N. W. R. R. Depot and Telegraph crossing. 12.53 m. 

N. W. R. R. Depot and Child’s Mill.... *.. 7.14 m. 

2 







10 


All crossings except Child’s Mill, will use the present 
track west of Omaha, and have three miles of sixty-six feet 
grade to overcome. 

Child’s Mill crossing has maximum grades of thirty feet 
only ; it is three and seven-tenths miles shorter than the M. 
and M. crossing; seven and fifty-five hundredths miles shorter 
than Telegraph Poles crossing, and six and four-tenths miles 
shorter than direct crossing by Telegraph Poles from North 
Western depot grounds ; and taking these grounds as a com¬ 
mon point, it is five and four-tenths miles shorter. 

The masonry in piers and abutments can be materially 
reduced on high bridge, by running over upper chord on that 
portion of bridge over the low bottoms each side of the river, 
and through the bridge over the channel of river. The esti¬ 
mates have been made for running through bridge for entire 
length. 

The surveys on the river are being pushed forward, and 
when completed may indicate some point more favorable for 
a crossing than any of those mentioned ; but I am convinced 
that generally, the features above indicated will not be 
changed. A detailed examination of the river may lead us 
to locate the bridge a few hundred feet north or south of 
any one of the above points, which will not change the 
general location, or the approaches to the bridge. 

I am, very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

Gr. M. Dodge, 

Chief Engineer. 


SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT. 




Engineer’s Office, U. P. R. R., ) 

Omaha, N. T., January 15, 1867. f 

T. C. Durant, Esq., 

Vice-President and General Manager , 

Union Pacific Railroad , 

No. 20 Nassau st ., New York : 

Dear Sir : I have the honor to submit herewith the addi¬ 
tional maps, profiles, and estimates, of bridge across the 
Missouri river. 

My former report was based, to a considerable degree, upon 
data from only partial surveys. The surveys then being 
made have been completed, and the data submitted here¬ 
with is the result of personal examination and actual 
survey. 

The sounding parties are all at work giving the river bed a 
thorough examination at three notable points for bridging, 

viz. : Child's Mill, Table south of Omaha, and Telegraph 
Poles. 

The Child's Mill line I discussed in former report; the 
additional surveys made, go to substantiate all said in rela¬ 
tion to that line, and add to its feasibility. Estimates are 
attached, marked “A." The line on table just south of 
our present railroad line through Omaha has been given a 
thorough examination, and I submit estimates attached, 
marked u B." 

I feel sure that it is practicable to go out on the line, 
marked “A, C, M" on map, near the present railroad line, 
with thirty feet grade ; that it is also practicable to swing 



12 


north from bridge and go to our depot grounds on a new line, 
or on the line now built. We can also, without much diffi¬ 
culty, curve to south from west end of bridge, and take the 
line run by Mr. Ainsworth, going into Mud Creek at point 
C{ I ” on map. So that all the points unsettled on this 
line, when my former report was made, are settled in 
its favor. It will be seen that the great width of the river 
and bottom land at this point, makes it cost two hundred 
thousand dollars more than at Child’s Mill, after increasing 
length of Child’s Mill bridge one thousand feet. 

I submit profile of line for low bridge, at Telegraph Poles, 
marked “A, B,” with estimates attached herewith ; also pro¬ 
file of Ainsworth line, which should be considered with it, 
giving a thirty foot grade to Mud Creek at Station 366 on 
map, marked “ G, H, I.” 

This crossing I consider best for low bridge. Kock has been 
found for a distance of 1,500 to 2,000 feet above Telegraph 
Poles and across Sand bar, when it drops off. The ques¬ 
tion of foundation, I think, is settled favorably for all cross¬ 
ings, as we can sink our piles about thirty-five feet at most 
all the points and fill them with rubble, and make our foun¬ 
dation perfectly safe. 

Piers in bottom land rest on concrete; at Telegraph Poles 
we can rest a portion of our foundation on rock bottom and 
a portion on piles. 

My late examination of river renders me more decided in 
favor of high bridge. The fact that we can overcome all 
objections to high grades, avoid all lawsuits and injunctions, 
all expense of confining channel, and not in any way be de¬ 
pendent on future uncertainties and experiments in confining 
our channel, avoid all difficulty of swift current through draw, 
and the great obstruction of centre pier in such a river, aj)- 
pears to settle the question in favor of high bridge. As a 
general rule, past experience has taught us not to build a low 
bridge over a navigable river, when a high one can be built 
without materially increasing cost. 


13 


Estimates for bridge have been made from soundings on 
best location for each line; masonry estimated over bed of 
river for running through bridge, and over bottom land to 
run on top chord of bridge. 

Foundation for piers in river is piles and rock bottom, on 
bottom land is concrete. Trestle work is estimated with 
double posts, with the intention that before it will have to 
be replaced it will be made permanent bank. Prices have 
been set upon the work that our past experience tells us it 
can be done for. 

Stone can be found near Bartlett Station, on Council Bluff 
and St. Joseph road, sufficient to build the bridge. It can 
be loaded in cars for $1 50 per cubic yard, and be delivered 
at river at $2 at highest per cubic yard, making $3 50 per 
cubic yard delivered. 

We have estimated for superstructure of a Howe's Truss” 
for high bridge and all spans of low bridge, except centre 
span. The centre span of the low bridge is iron truss three 
hundred feet long. Act of Congress requires three hundred 
and fifty feet for bridges over Mississippi and Missouri rivers 
in all charters granted last winter. 

An iron truss for high bridge is preferable, but will cost 
nearly twice as much as u Howe’s truss still I think, in the 
end it will be better policy, and more economical to use it. 
So important a structure should take advantage of all 
improvements that genius and experience have added to any 
old plans or material. 

Iron bridges for such spans and work, are being used in all 
structures of as much importance as this. It is considered 
to be much more economical in the end, and by far the 
safest ; if wood truss is used, I recommend Howe’s. 

I believe the maps, profiles, and estimates, and my former 
report with that now submitted, will give the Company 
sufficient data for them to fully understand the questions, 
and decide the location. 

I consider the subject in a purely professional point of 
view, and in an engineering point of view there seems to be 


14 


no question as to the best location of the bridge, and that is 
near or at u Child's Mill.” I can reduce length of bridge 
here easily, if desired, by crossing at narrowest point of river, 
and going up another ravine connecting with railroad in 
Pappillon Valley, instead of Mud Creek, as shown on map 
and profile by line marked “ A, F, 0." 

The Child's Mill location has the great advantage over 
all other points of saving distance. The high bluffs on the 
west side to abut against, the course of channel fixed by 
formation of valley at this point, narrow river, the protection 
that bridge has from bluffs and timber, and the fact that 
the river nearly washes bluffs on the west side, with a direc¬ 
tion to the current that will always hold it to that side; 
also, the distance saved on all through freight, travel and 
traffic, decreases running expenses, with the avoiding of high 
grades, striking Mud Creek so low that very little expense 
is incurred in reducing the Mud Creek grade down to thirty 
feet; and the fact also determined by our surveys that we 
can reach our depot grounds at Omaha, from west end of 
bridge, by falling gradually to valley of Missouri river, and 
running up the valley to Omaha. 

These advantages, and others that have been brought before 
the Board, decide beyond question that this is the location 
for a bridge in a purely engineering point of view. 

The question of a commercial point at Omaha ; of the use 
of our depot grounds at that place, and the better satisfac¬ 
tion it will give the people of that city ; and how much these 
should weigh against the nationality of the work, the engi¬ 
neering advantages, the distance saved, the distance hereafter 
saved in running, the percentage gained on all traffic going 
from the Atlantic to the Pacific ; and the fact of the location 
not only being made for the present, but for ten, twenty, and 
one hundred years hence, are matters for the Company to 
consider. 

If the local interests of Omaha and our own expenditures 
at that place—our grounds and shops—are sufficient to over¬ 
come extra expense and cost, the engineering advantages and 



15 


the facts mentioned, then the location just south of present 
road in Omaha is the best ; and this is the second best 
point for high bridge on the river examined. 

The objection heretofore urged to this point of not being 
able to go west near our present road on a thirty-foot grade is 
avoided by our last survey ; and our depot grounds made 
available and the commercial interests of Omaha satisfied. 
If allowed to run to the summit on a forty-foot grade, I can 
cheapen the line from west end of bridge materially; and I 
cannot see the objection to it, as our built line down Mud 
Creek and up Pappillon has several forty-foot grades. We 
can also, on this location, use the old road until such times 
as increased business demands change of grade on east side 
of summit. 

The thirty-foot grade from bridge at this point runs us 
down to level of valley most too far east for good connec¬ 
tion with eastern roads. I would therefore recommend, if 
bridge is decided upon at this point, that we approach on 
east side with forty-foot grade. It would reduce cost of 
trestle and bank. 

As to low bridge, the question as to confining channel, the 
increased swiftness of the current and proper means to avoid 
it, the danger from lawsuits and other objections discussed in 
my former report, I think we should, if possible, avoid. You 
fully understand and can determine these better than I. 

The confining of channel within limits of natural bank of 
river, turning of channel at all seasons of the year, through 
draw, without an increase of current that will render it 
objectionable, I consider an experiment that no one can pre¬ 
dict the cost , time , trouble , or expense of. But if the bridge 
is decided upon, I recommend the point at Telegraph Pole. 
To reach our depot grounds at west end of bridge, that por¬ 
tion on bottom would have to be on a curve, and probably 
trestle on east approach. 

The river is now threatening this location from Buchey’s 
Ferry, to point of turning south. 

The systematic soundings and surveys being made at Tele- 


16 

graph Pole, at crossing south of Omaha, and at Child’s Mill, 
will render us fully able to finally locate position of piers of 
bridge on either line you may select. 


Table of Distances. 


Child’s Mill line, marked on map “ A, E, K,”. 5.83 miles. 

Child’s Mill and Pappillon Valley, marked on map 

“A, F, O,”. 8.77 “ 

High crossing south of railroad in Omaha, marked on 

map “ A, C, M, Iv,” .. 9.27 “ 

High crossing, Stone Quarry (not practicable), marked 

on map “A, D, L, K,”. 9.41 “ 

Low Bridge at telegraph crossing, and Ainsworth line, 

marked on map u A, B, G, H, I, K,”. 12.33 “ 

Low Bridge, N. W. R. R. grounds, telegraph cross¬ 
ing, present track with sixty-six feet maximum 

grade, marked ‘*N, B, G, M, L, K,”. 12.30 “ 

Low Bridge, N. W. R. R. grounds, Ainsworth line, 
with thirty feet grade, marked “ N, B, G, H, 

I, K,”. .7.. 11.82 “ 


Distances compare as follows: 


Child’s Mill line, “ A, E, K,” shorter than line on table 

south of Omaha, “ A, C, M, K,”. 

Child’s Mill line, “A, E, K,” shorter than line by 
Telegraph Pole, marked on map u A, B, G, H, 

I, K,”. 

Child’s Mill line shorter than line from N. W. R. R. by 
Telegraph Pole, sixty-six feet grade, marked “ N, 

B, G, M, L, K,”. 

Child’s Mill line shorter than line from N. W. R. R. 
depot grounds, via Telegraph Pole depot grounds, 
with thirty feet grade, marked “ N, B, G, H, T, 
K,”. 


3.44 miles. 

6.50 “ 

6.47 “ 


a 


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library of congress 


18 


0 020 126 029 2 

It will be observed that these estimates are made for 
bridge proper ; and for a road to be built from a common 
point on east side of river, to the intersecting point on our 
line in Mud Creek Valley. That I have increased price 
of trestling over old estimate from $50 to $90 per thousand 
feet, and truss from $65 to $80 per lineal foot, as in former 
estimate. I understood truss was delivered at Omaha for 
$65 per lineal foot, while I find it was delivered at Chicago 
at that price. $15 per lineal foot is added for transporta¬ 
tion from Chicago to Omaha. 

Masonry is put in at $20 per cubic yard. This change in 
prices makes the difference in cost of bridge proper as com¬ 
pared with former estimate. 

In that estimate I did not estimate approaches as I have 
in this. In the estimate now submitted, I have increased 
length at Child's Mill bridge from two thousand feet to three 
thousand feet, throwing one thousand feet more on east side 
of river to avoid all contingencies from high water, &c. 

Bridge at Child's Mill, line (i A, F, 0," can be reduced to 
two thousand feet on line ce A, E, K." I believe it would be 
safe at two thousand five hundred. 

I do not estimate for any unusual obstructions in building of 
bridge. I estimate what bridge would cost,built in usual man¬ 
ner, with usual contingencies. And although the Missouri 
river has never been bridged, or its currents and sand contended 
with in putting in foundations, yet I do not anticipate any 
unusual difficulties. 

Neither have I, in low bridge, given any estimate for con¬ 
fining channel, or turning it at all seasons of the year into 
draw, without increase of current. This is also a matter of 
experiment, and merely guess-work as to cost. 

The line marked A, D, L, K, on map, known as u Stone 
Quarry line" (you have map and profile in New York), I 
don't consider or estimate, as it is impracticable in com¬ 
parison with other lines. 

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

G. M. Dodge, 

Chief Engineer. 













































